XTEND Secures $9 Million Middle East Drone Program and Expands UAV Patent Portfolio

Israeli autonomous robotics developer XTEND has secured approximately $9 million in new defense orders to expand autonomous multi drone operations for a defense customer in the Middle East. According to the company, the program will support advanced mission capabilities, coordinated operation of multiple unmanned systems, and its human guided autonomy architecture. 

The latest contract builds on a series of defense awards announced by the company during 2026, reflecting continued demand for autonomous unmanned systems across multiple regions. Previous contracts included programs in Europe, the Asia Pacific region, Israel, and the United States, indicating a broadening international customer base. 

Alongside the contract announcement, XTEND disclosed that it had secured two additional patents covering core UAV navigation and control technologies. The newly granted U.S. and Israeli patents protect methods for directing unmanned vehicles to operator designated destinations, including in environments where GPS signals are unavailable or degraded. The patents complement an earlier U.S. patent covering reliable UAV maneuvering under communication latency, strengthening the company's intellectual property in contested operational environments. 

The company stated that the combination of autonomous navigation and resilient command and control technologies is intended to improve the operation of unmanned systems in electronic warfare environments where satellite navigation or communications may be disrupted. These capabilities are becoming increasingly important as armed forces seek to field larger numbers of coordinated autonomous platforms for reconnaissance, strike, and force protection missions. 

XTEND has continued to expand its international defense business through contracts with military customers and strategic partnerships. The company is also progressing toward a planned business combination with JFB Construction Holdings, which would result in the combined company trading publicly in the United States.